There has been a developing conflict in the municipal council of Arang between the elected leaders and the administrative officials. Municipal Council’s Chairman Dr. Sandeep Jain has raised a formal complaint with the Raipur Collector regarding the failure to adhere to government directions and administrative irregularities on the part of Chief Municipal Officer (CMO) Sheetal Chandravanshi.
Dr. Jain in his complaint alleged that the CMO went against the elected council and ignored instructions given in a public complaint camp organised under the “Good Governance Festival” scheme. He pointed out that the project of constructing the Mini Mata Memorial Hall in Ward 13 was delayed due to the contractor, and although the minister had instructed to take action against the contractor, nothing was done for several weeks.
The chairman also expressed concern about the timely presentation of the municipal budget for the coming financial year and alleged that the procedures for allotment of houses under the Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) scheme were not followed. According to him, important decisions were made without adequate consultation with elected representatives.
In response to the allegations, CMO Sheetal Chandravanshi said that the claims were baseless and misleading. He said that the construction of Mini Mata Memorial Hall was already going on and key structural works were under way. He also talked about the need for a well-defined legal and administrative procedure for the cancellation of an existing contract, which should involve notifying and confirming the process with the relevant technical reviews and bodies, as well as ensuring that this does not lead to future litigation.
Delays in budget approvals and housing allotments have been attributed to statutory procedures, document verification and departmental clearances, not a conscious effort to bypass public officials, officials familiar with the situation said.
The standoff has led to heated debates in political and administrative circles locally, and observers are interested in whether the higher authorities will step in to resolve the ongoing standoff.